Questions on releasing our pigeons for the first time...

[NewPigeonOwner]

We bought 10 pigeons on June 16th 2020. One passed away sadly a couple weeks later. Then about two weeks later, a pair laid two eggs and we had two healthy squabs hatch July 21st. They will be 6 weeks old tomorrow and are flying and feeding themselves now. Their parents have now laid another set of eggs one week ago.

So, my questions are:

1. We have had these birds in our coop for a little over 2 1/2 months. We got them knowing we would eventually let them out to fly each day. My husband raised pigeons growing up so this is/was his goal. But now of course I am attached to several of them and am going to be devastated to lose any of them! But I do not have a separate cage (other than a cat carrier which won't work long term obviously) to keep my faves in. So...first...is 2 1/2 months, having raised one set of babies and currently sitting on a second set of eggs...long enough so that they will NOT return to their previous owner who lives approx 30 miles away???

2. Is it too soon to let 6 week old babies free fly outside the coop?

3. At this rate, there will always be eggs/babies in nests so will one or both parents not leave the coop so that they can sit on their eggs all day? My fear is the parents leave and don't come back because they return to previous owner or worse yet, get picked off by a hawk? We have TONS of predators out here in the country.

4. I also worry about animals somehow getting inside the coop through trap door if it's left open all day?

5. How do we release them? Do we just open the trap door and they just go?!?!

6. What time will they come back to the coop?!?!

7. They are afraid of us so I can't imagine them just coming back into the trap door when I am ready to close it for the evening?!?

8. I feed my pigeons every morning at 9:30. Do I just open the trap door after feeding them?

9. HELP. I don't think I have the heart for this! LOL

Sorry for what are certain to be COMPLETE newbie questions. I appreciate any and all comments!

 

[sourland]

First thing first - never fly birds that you can not afford to lose, because eventually you will lose birds. Hawk attacks/kills, overflies, sudden storms can all contribute to losses. What breed do you have ? Homers if settled at their previous loft should not be flown as they will return to their original homes if of any quality. I would suggest building a settling cage that includes the landing board, trap, and if possible the roof. Allow the birds to become accustomed to using this and entering the loft through the trap. Feed condition your birds with a whistle/sound/rattling can while feeding. Fly your birds hungry and call them in with the feed conditioning sound. Once all have entered the loft lock the trap so that predators can not enter the loft. I have had both Cooper's hawks and once a Great Horned owl enter my lofts due to negligence on my part. Good luck with flying your flock. Cooper's hawks put me out of business.

 

[backyard pigeons]

They will be 6 weeks old tomorrow and are flying and feeding themselves now. Their parents have now laid another set of eggs one week ago.

start training them! start by letting them see all around the coop, and go thru the trap door 20 or more times with a settling cage placed around the trap.

So...first...is 2 1/2 months, having raised one set of babies and currently sitting on a second set of eggs...long enough so that they will NOT return to their previous owner who lives approx 30 miles away???

What breed? are they homers?

2. Is it too soon to let 6 week old babies free fly outside the coop?

no! ideal agw to start, with supervision.

4. I also worry about animals somehow getting inside the coop through trap door if it's left open all day?

what type of trap door do you have? you shouldn't let them fly all day, as hawks will get them then. you should only fly them 2 hours max, i think.

. How do we release them? Do we just open the trap door and they just go?!?!

after lots of trap training, looking around the loft, and train them to a food call, yes. but,,, never ever push them out of the loft... they will go when they are ready.

. What time will they come back to the coop?!?!

ideally when you call them. you see,,, every time you feed them, whistle or do another food call. that lets them know that when flying and they hear it, they need to go inside.

8. I feed my pigeons every morning at 9:30. Do I just open the trap door after feeding them?

no, always fly birds hungry. this is motivation for them to come home when called. again, have a food call. i reccomend flying your birds from 10 am to 12, and then call them in and feed them all theyu can eat in ten minutes...

 

[backyard pigeons]

an aviary is a GREAT addition to any loft, especially when you are having problems with hawks. but even if its 10 by 10, that is no where near what they would get free flying. free flying they can go fast, high, out of sight, in trees, etc. in an aviary, they have no freedom.

don't get me wrong, aviary's are very important, but they cant replace free flying.

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

my pigeons use to “free range” like chickens lol. they would just wander around the yard while supervised and were happy to do that. they would fly around the yard if they wanted, but never attempted to leave. maybe you can try that.

there wings were clipped when we started letting them out, so maybe that’s helped get them used to it. we did not clip them, they were rescue birds that were clipped before they got to the shelter.

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

that sounds so fun! that's kind of what my OB's do. any photos?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/DdnykRM5dJvw6aaP6

here’s a few. my favorite part of looking back at the picture is you can see how thin and scared they used to be, and how happy and friendly they were after months of care. the rescue got them from a place they were being abused and hoarded so i’m happy they are so happy now.

 

[NewPigeonOwner]

Thank you all for your responses! My husband believes the birds need to be able to free fly. I, of course, am still worrying about all of the what if's and am having to accept that occasionally we will lose a bird. We definitely have hawks and other predators so I could never clip wings and let them wander around the yard (as much as I would love that!). Sadly, our own dogs would get them if we did. We found out that we have a neighbor who also has pigeons and their coop is unlike anything I've ever seen. It has permanent open slots up high where the birds can get in/out whenever they choose! Its big enough for them to get in/out but keep larger critters out. She sent me videos of them hanging out on top of her home, their coop, and all flying in together. It was quite magical to see. We aren't racing them or anything...just keeping them as pets. Wish us luck! And thanks again!

 

[NewPigeonOwner]

First thing first - never fly birds that you can not afford to lose, because eventually you will lose birds. Hawk attacks/kills, overflies, sudden storms can all contribute to losses. What breed do you have ? Homers if settled at their previous loft should not be flown as they will return to their original homes if of any quality. I would suggest building a settling cage that includes the landing board, trap, and if possible the roof. Allow the birds to become accustomed to using this and entering the loft through the trap. Feed condition your birds with a whistle/sound/rattling can while feeding. Fly your birds hungry and call them in with the feed conditioning sound. Once all have entered the loft lock the trap so that predators can not enter the loft. I have had both Cooper's hawks and once a Great Horned owl enter my lofts due to negligence on my part. Good luck with flying your flock. Cooper's hawks put me out of business.

I have no idea what breed they are. We assume just homing pigeons? We tried to get some from a rescue but none were available so we purchased them from a gentleman on craigslist. They weren't any fancy breed and he said they hadn't been trained. Although I think my white bird with feet feathers is quite fancy! =) They are just our pets now. We have red tail hawks here and a RIDICULOUS amount of woodpeckers, quail, rabbits and squirrels so I hope the hawks will go after easier targets that aren't my pet pigeons! I also hope they don't fly back to the previous owner. Their coop is much bigger/nicer here. If only they knew that! ha! Fingers crossed.

 

[NewPigeonOwner]

an aviary is a GREAT addition to any loft, especially when you are having problems with hawks. but even if its 10 by 10, that is no where near what they would get free flying. free flying they can go fast, high, out of sight, in trees, etc. in an aviary, they have no freedom.

don't get me wrong, aviary's are very important, but they cant replace free flying.

I would love to have a 50x50 aviary! HA! But my husband agrees with you and thinks they need to be able to free fly. I'm just so scared that when we let them out, the pair currently sitting on eggs, won't come back. I don't think I could hand feed squabs! And unfortunately I don't have a separate cage to keep them in. So for now, they are in a 6x10ft coop and we will be letting them free fly soon. Fingers crossed. I really hope they all come back as I've grown quite attached!

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

Thank you all for your responses! My husband believes the birds need to be able to free fly. I, of course, am still worrying about all of the what if's and am having to accept that occasionally we will lose a bird. We definitely have hawks and other predators so I could never clip wings and let them wander around the yard (as much as I would love that!). Sadly, our own dogs would get them if we did. We found out that we have a neighbor who also has pigeons and their coop is unlike anything I've ever seen. It has permanent open slots up high where the birds can get in/out whenever they choose! Its big enough for them to get in/out but keep larger critters out. She sent me videos of them hanging out on top of her home, their coop, and all flying in together. It was quite magical to see. We aren't racing them or anything...just keeping them as pets. Wish us luck! And thanks again!

they’re wings don’t need to be clipped. they’ll still wander around the yard if you just open the coop door and let them. ours weren’t clipped by choice